Feeding and cutting device for label-strips.



M. H. BALLARD.

FEEDING AND CUTTING DEVIGE FOR LABEL STRIPS. A

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1910.

1,085,077. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

MILTON I-I. BALLARD, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TRIPP FRUIT WRAP:- PING- MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEEDING AND CUTTING DEVICE FOR LABEL-STRIPS.

Original application filed April 4, 1910, Se1'ial No. 553,366.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON H. BALLARD, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeding and Cuttlng Devices for Label-Strips, of which the following is a specification.

In another application for Letters Patent Serial No. 553366, filed April 4, 1910, and renewed July 22, 1911, Serial No. 640,020, of which this application is a division, a label-affixing device is shown wherein a label-strip is employed, which is fed forward step by step and the labels cut from the strip as required. The labels are small and unless made in the form of a strip are difficult to handle. In many instances small, circular or other shaped labels are required, and when made in the form of a strip special means are required to feed the labelstrip forward predetermined distances and to out the labels therefrom at the proper points.

This invention has for its object the construction of improved feeding devices especially adapted for feeding a label-strip composed of circular or other shaped labels; also improved severing devices for cutting the labels from the strip at the proper points.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a feeding and cutting-device for label-strips embodying this invention. Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the feeding and cutting-device shown in Fig. 1, taken on dotted lines 22. Fig. 3, is a front elevation of the cuttingdevice. Figs. l and 5, are sectional details of the cutting-device. Fig, 6 is a detail of the guide for holding a severed label until removed by a label conveyer.

(Z represents the label-strip, here shown as composed of connected circular labels. Such a label-strip may be formed by scalloping the opposite edges of a strip of paper. If the labels are other than circular the edges of the label-strip will be correspondingly cut, but however they may be cut recesses will be formed in the edges of the labelstrip. The label-strip (Z is wound on a reel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.20, 1914.

Divided and this application filed September Serial No. 582,152.

in shape to the shape of the edges of the labelstrip. A feed-roll having a peripheral groove thus formed positively engages and holds the label-strip as it is drawn from the reel by reason of the side walls of the groove having inwardly extended portions which enter recesses in the edges of the labelstrip and thereby engage said strip. Said feed-wheel is rotated intermittingly to feed forward the label-strip step by step, and each intermittent movement is suflicient to feed forward the label-strip a distance equal to the length of a label.

As here shown a ratchet-wheel (Z is secured to the shaft cl, which is engaged by a push-pawl (Z connected to the pin of a crank (Z secured to the shaft a and during each revolution of said shaft of said pawl is operated to advance the ratchet-wheel one tooth and thereby correspondingly move the feedwheel one step. Backward movement of the ratchet-wheel is prevented by a spring-pressed pawl d. The teeth of the ratchet-wheel correspond in number with the number of label-receiving spaces in the peripheral groove in the feed-wheel, to thus provide for feeding forward the label-strip a distance equal to the length of a label during each operation.

The label-strip (1 passes through a flattened guide-tube d which extends to and around the top part of the feed-wheel and to a cutting-device, and said guide-tube is made of any suitable shape, but quite thin, and is contracted in width, for a portion of its length, where it passes around the feedwheel, so as to enter the groove in the periphery of said wheel. Said guide-tube is contracted in width by being cut away at each side, and the edges of the label-strip project through the side openings thus formed to engage the inwardly extended engaging-portions formed on the side walls of the peripheral groove in the feed-wheel.

The cutting-device, as here shown, con sists of a stationary blade 0 formed by beveling the front edge of a plate, as at e, from top to bottom in a rearward direction, and a movable blade 6 arranged above the stationary blade and attached to the lower end and at the front side of a bar 0 which is movable up and down in a guideway formed in the stationary supporting-frame e The movable blade 6 has at one end an ear 6 which extends downwardly and at all times overlies the edge of the stationary blade. The bar 6 has a pin 6 projecting rearwardly from it, which passes through and works up and down in a slot 6 formed in the frame 6 and a spring encircles said pin and bears at one end against the frame and at the other end against the head of the pin, which acts to draw the bar 6 toward the frame a and hold it with a yielding pressure, and to hold the ear 6 in engagement with the stationary blade, although permitting the movable blade to yield slightly as may be required when passing or moving over the stationary blade when cutting off the labels by a shearing action. The bar 6 is engaged by one arm e of a bell-crank lever, which is pivoted at a the other arm 6 of said lever extending downward and en gaging a cam 6 secured to the shaft a. During each revolution of the shaft a said cam operates to move the bell-crank lever on its pivot, and thereby positively raise and lower the cutter-carrying bar 6 As here shown the cutting edge of the movable blade 6 is arranged at an angle to the cutting edge of the stationary blade 6 for the purpose of obtaining a shearing out, and, furthermore the movable blade 6 is supported in an inclined position with respect to the inclined cutting edge of the stationary blade 6, as represented in Fig. &, so that as the blades gradually wear, the angle is such that the strip will be out. As the same shaft a is employed to move the feedwheel and to operate the cutting-device, it will be seen that the label-strip is advanced a distance equal to the length of a label, between the members of the cutting-device, while the movable member of said device is in its elevated position, so that when said movable member is caused to descend a complete label will be cut from the strip.

For the purpose of holding the severed label. temporarily a guide-plate (Z is provided, see Fig. 6, which is located in front of the cutting-device. Said guide-plate is formed with a horizontal passage through it for the label, and is recessed as at (Z to permit a label-conveying device (not shown) to engage the label.

I claim:

1. In a web feeding mechanism, a feed wheel having a peripheral groove to receive the web, with a side wall of said groove adapted to engage a side edge of the web to move the Web as the feed wheel is revolved, and means arranged to bear upon the web and hold it in engagement with said side wall of the groove.

2. In a web feeding mechanism, a feed wheel having a peripheral groove to engage a strip of labels, means for rotating said feed wheel, and means extending into said groove for maintaining the engagement between the label strip and the groove.

3. In a web feeding mechanism, a feed wheel having a peripheral groove to receive the web, with the side walls of said groove adapted to engage the side edges of the web to move the web as the wheel is revolved, and stationary means entering said groove for holding the web in operative position on the wheel.

4-. A means for feeding a scalloped web having no inherent rigidity, which comprises a single feed wheel with a peripheral groove, the walls of the groove being scalloped correspondingly with the scalloped web, a guide for holding the web in the groove, and means for rotating the feed wheel.

5. The combination of a label strip feeder, a severed-label holder, and a cutter between the holder and feeder, said holder constructed and arranged to hold the label severed by the cutter so that a portion of both sides of the label is exposed.

6. In a labeling-device, the combination of a feed-wheel having a groove in its periphery, adapting it to receive a label-strip, means for moving said feed-wheel, a cuttingdevice arranged to cut the label-strip to produce separate labels, means for operating said cutting-device, and a guide-tube for the label-strip extended to and around a portion of the feed-wheel and beyond the same to the cutting device, having a contracted portion which enters the groove in. said feedwheel, through the sides of which the edges of the label-strip extend, substantially as described.

7. In a labeling-device, the combination of a feed-wheel having a groove in its periphery adapted to receive a label-strip having recessed edges, the side walls of said groove having inwardly extended portions to enter the recesses in the edges of said strip, a reel upon which said strip is wound, and a guide tube for said strip extended to and around a portion of the feed-wheel having a contracted portion which enters the groove in said feed-wheel through the open sides of which the edges of said strip extend, substantially as described.

8. In a labeling device, the combination In testimony whereof, I have signed my With a cutting-device for a label-strip, of a name to this specification, in the presence of guide-plate located in front of the cuttingtwo subscribing Witnesses.

device for holding the severed label, Which MILTON H. BALLARD. has a horizontal passage through it for the Witnesses:

label and is recessed above and below said B. J. Noms,

passage. H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

